This Year in History:
1977
Discover what happened in this year with HISTORY’s summaries of major events, anniversaries, famous births and notable deaths.
President Jimmy Carter, in a speech delivered at Notre Dame University, reaffirms his commitment to human rights as a cornerstone of U.S. foreign policy and disparages the “inordinate fear of…
A new sign of political liberalization appears in China, when the communist government lifts its decade‑old ban on the writings of William Shakespeare. The action by the Chinese government was…
Science‑fiction fans and movie buffs in general have cause to celebrate on this day in 1977, when 20th Century Fox releases George Lucas’ space odyssey Star Wars. After Lucas’ second…
On May 25, 1977, Memorial Day weekend opens with an intergalactic bang as the first of George Lucas’ blockbuster Star Wars movies hits American theaters. The incredible success of Star…
On May 31, 1977, the song “God Save The Queen” earned a total ban on radio airplay from the BBC. Such a ban might signal the kiss of death for…
The Soviet government charges Anatoly Shcharansky, a leader among Jewish dissidents and human rights activists in Russia, with the crime of treason. The action was viewed by many in the…
On this day in 1977, Raymond Carver quits drinking after being hospitalized four times in 1976. Carver, the son of an Oregon sawmill worker and a waitress, had recently established…
In the face of recent Soviet crackdowns on human rights activists, Secretary of State Cyrus Vance assures skeptics in the United States that the administration of President Jimmy Carter will…
Leonid Ilych Brezhnev, first secretary of the Soviet Communist Party since 1964, is elected president of the Supreme Soviet, thereby becoming both head of party and head of state. A…
With a flip of a switch in Prudhoe Bay, crude oil from the nation’s largest oil field begins flowing south down the trans‑Alaska pipeline to the ice‑free port of Valdez,…
On July 2, 1977, Hollywood composer Bill Conti scores a #1 pop hit with the single “Gonna Fly Now (Theme From Rocky).” Bill Conti was a relative unknown in Hollywood…
A flash flood hits Johnstown, Pennsylvania, on July 20, 1977, killing 84 people and causing millions of dollars in damages. This flood came 88 years after the infamous Great Flood…
A suburban family man with an office job, Declan Patrick McManus was somewhat removed from the revolution being staged in late‑night clubs in 1977 London by punk‑rock pioneers like The…
On August 3, 1977, “The Spy Who Loved Me,” starring Roger Moore as the suave superspy James Bond, known for his love of fast cars and dangerous women, is released…
On August 10, 1977, police arrest 24‑year‑old postal employee David Berkowitz and charged him with being the “Son of Sam,” the serial killer who terrorized New York City for more…
Music icon Elvis Presley dies in Memphis, Tennessee, at the age of 42. The death of the “King of Rock and Roll” brought legions of mourning fans to Graceland, his…
As children, they called themselves the Heavenly Sunbeams, and no name could have been more appropriate to their sound. Their smash hit, “Best Of My Love,” which topped the Billboard…
On this day in 1977, Brazilian soccer superstar Pelé leads the New York Cosmos to victory in the Soccer Bowl, the championship of the North American Soccer League (NASL). With…
On September 3, 1977, Sadaharu Oh of Japan’s Yomiuri Giants hits the 756th home run of his career, breaking Hank Aaron’s professional record for career home runs. Oh was the…
In Washington, President Jimmy Carter and Panamanian dictator Omar Torrijos sign a treaty agreeing to transfer control of the Panama Canal from the United States to Panama at the end…
